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Scott Morrison has told a rally of about 10,000 people that some Palestinian supporters chanting phrases like “from the river to the sea” are “ignorant” of the meaning of those words and are being anti-Semitic.
Speaking at Sydney’s Never Again is Now rally on Sunday, the former prime minister suggested there had been instances of anti-Semitism in Australia rather than support for Israel following the attack from Hamas on October 7.
“Instead of support, we have seen those living under the freedom of democracy in this country calling for the extinction of the State of Israel from the river to the sea,” he said.
Mr Morrison drew cheers as he said people were “ignorant of the real meaning of those words”, and of the “violent and anti-Semitic nature of those statements”.
“Our presence here today is to bear witness to these acts of anti-Semitism, and call them out and express solidarity with Jewish people across Australia and around the world,” he said.
“To remove the cloak of sentiment, self-declared respectability and asserted moral superiority, and reveal the dark heart of anti-Semitism that continues to linger below the surface, both here in Australia and elsewhere.”
Mr Morrison also advocated for a two state solution, however said both states had to be “competent and focused on the welfare, freedom, security, advancement and flourishing of their own people”.
“Peace is not simply the absence of conflict, which we all wish to see for Israelis and Palestinians alike, but the presence of freedom, of justice and security, behind secure borders, where people can live their lives free from oppression, fear and persecution,” he said.
In response to Mr Morrison’s speech, Nick Everett from Friends of Palestine WA told NCA NewsWire: “The slogan ‘from the river to the sea’ is a demand for equal rights and justice for Palestinians who live throughout historic Palestine, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.”
Groups such as Friends of Palestine and Unionists for Palestine have consistently said they do not call for the extinction of Israel, but rather an end to the country’s occupation of Gaza.
Unionists for Palestine spokeswoman Grace Brooks said last month that there must be justice and human rights for all
Palestinian people to bring about a peaceful and lasting resolution to the conflict.
“The decades-long occupation and apartheid regime in Israel-Palestine must come to an end,” she said.
“As unionists we will fight for all people, no matter their faith or ethnicity, to have equal rights and self-determination.
“Until there is peace and justice, we will continue the campaign for a free Palestine.”
Political activist and businessman Warren Mundine also denounced the handling of the Sydney Opera house protests, which followed the October 7 attacks.
While initial reports said protestors chanted “F**k the Jews” and “Gas the Jews”, NSW Police later said an expert review found attendees actually chanted: “Where’s the Jews?”
Mr Mundine said while he was a “massive supporter” of the police, he was “horrified” the event was allowed to go ahead.
“To see police stand there and do nothing, nearly broke me,” he said.
“Anyone who has looked at history for a mere second knows when a society tolerates an angry mob changing against Jews, it will take that to society down an ugly and destructive path.”
NSW MP’s ‘tentacle’ comments lashed
Politicians from both the Labor and Liberal Party also criticised comments made by NSW Greens MP Jenny Leong, in which she spoke about the “tentacles” of the Jewish lobby, and unknowingly referenced a historical anti-Semitic cartoon.
The Newtown MP has since apologised for the “inappropriate descriptor”.
Representing Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, federal MP for Berowra Julian Leeser also said politicians in the Greens and those in the far left had an “ideological obsession” in hostility against people of faith.
He referenced Ms Leong’s comments and said they were an example of people questioning “the right of their fellow Australians to participate in the life of this nation”.
NSW Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes said the comments from the far left were divisive.
“They seek to divide us, they seek to bring anti-Semitism into our communities, into our schools, (and) into our parliament,” she said.
Former NSW Treasurer and co-convener of Labor Friends of Israel Eric Roozendaal echoed the criticisms.
“There are some politicians who seek to exploit divisions in our society and who openly showed contempt for Jewish Australians,” he said.
He also called out “influencer” and feminist author Clementine Ford for sharing screenshots of leaked WhatsApp messages which contained the names and details of Jewish creatives on social media.
“Now we have a so-called influencer like that awful Clementine Ford,” Mr Roozendaal said.
“She’s publishing lists, telling haters exactly where they can find the Jews. That’s what we’ve come to.”
About 10,000 people attended the rally on Sunday.
NAIN co-founder Mark Leach said the event was a response to a 738 per cent surge in reported anti-Semitic incidents across Australia.
The figures were reported by the Executive Council of Australia Jewry in December, which said it had been alerted of 662 incidents in October and November last year.
“We want to mobilise the Christian and general Australian rally to push back again the anti-Semitic hate we’re seeing across Australia,” said Mr Leach, who is also a senior Anglican minister.
“We want to build a cohesive and strong society were everybody, including our Jewish friends, can flourish in peace.”
Tasmanian Speaker Jacqui Lambie, NSW Senator Hollie Hughes, Australian Christian Lobby director Michelle Pearse, senior Anglican minister Mark Leach and former deputy prime minister John Anderson will also speak at the event.
The Domain was filled with people waving flags, including the Australian flag, the Israel flag and the Iranian flag prior to the 1979 Revolution.
George Citer, 77, said he believed Australians needed to “come together”.
“I mean this is just so important, the Australian community stands together again anti-Semitism,” he said.
“You’ve got people from the broader community all coming together. This is the Australian way.”
A NSW Police spokeswoman said the rally was a planned authorised assembly, and it would be attended by a highly visible police presence.
“The community can be assured we will provide a safe environment for all and appropriate policing responses are in place,” they said.
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